The possible coalition partners SPD, Greens and FDP have agreed on a significant tightening of the planned amendment to the Infection Protection Act. In view of the dramatically increasing number of corona infections, it should now also be possible to order contact restrictions, as can be seen from an agreement between representatives of the three parliamentary groups that is available to the German Press Agency. It is about unvaccinated people, as Greens boss Robert Habeck had previously indicated in the ARD.
In addition, unvaccinated people should no longer be allowed to use buses and trains without a negative test – regardless of the mask requirement that continues to apply. In the future, a 3-G rule will apply in local and long-distance public transport: “Anyone who uses public transport must either be vaccinated, recovered or tested,” according to information from the dpa.
Without the tightening of the previous plans, contact restrictions would no longer be possible after the expiry of the legal status of the “epidemic situation of national scope” on November 25th. The three coalition-forming parties are sticking to the plan to end this special status. However, by resolution of their respective Landtag, the federal states should be able to retain certain individual measures, including, for example: the prohibition or restriction of leisure, cultural and sporting events as well as assemblies, entry bans in health facilities, alcohol bans and the closure of universities, for example.
However, even the federal states no longer have the right to exit or travel restrictions or to prohibit or restrict catering or hotel businesses, trading or commercial operations or the exercise of sports. “In this way, on the one hand, regionally different infection processes can be combated in a very targeted manner, on the other hand, we are shifting responsibility there from the executive back to the parliaments,” it was said to explain.
As previously planned, the measures are to apply until March 19, 2022. In addition, there is now a one-time extension option: “The Bundestag is authorized to extend the validity of the regulations by a maximum of three months by a resolution by March 19, 2022.” The amendment to the Infection Protection Act has already been introduced in the Bundestag. The hearing of experts, which is part of the legislative process, is scheduled for this Monday. Parliament is due to vote on Thursday. (15.11.2021)
Incidence rises to more than 300 for the first time
The nationwide seven-day incidence has risen again. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week on Monday morning as 303.0. For comparison: the previous day the value was 289.0, a week ago it was 201.1 (previous month: 68.7). The health authorities in Germany reported 23,607 new corona infections to the RKI within one day. According to the new information, 43 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours.
The RKI has counted 5,045,076 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic. The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections are not detected. The RKI stated the number of people recovered as 4,494,300. The number of people who died with or with a proven infection with Sars-CoV-2 rose to 97,715. (15.11.2021)
Lauterbach expects the clinics to be overloaded at the beginning of December
SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach expects the clinics to be overloaded across the board at the beginning of December. “With the number of cases that we now have, the clinics will exceed the capacity limit nationwide in the first two weeks of December,” Lauterbach told the newspapers of the Funke media group. That can hardly be averted now.
So that the maximum load does not lead to a comprehensive collapse, drastic measures are now necessary. “Unvaccinated people should only have access to their workplace, to grocery stores, drug stores and pharmacies.” That is the only way to regain control of the infection situation. (15.11.2021)
Israel approves Biontech vaccine for children aged five and over
The corona vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer can now also be given to children between the ages of five and eleven in Israel. This was decided by the Ministry of Health after an advisory committee had previously spoken out in favor of it. So far, the vaccination approval was only valid for children from the age of twelve and adults. The additionally required doses are to be delivered to Israel in the coming days and enable the vaccination campaign for smaller children to start immediately, according to the newspaper Haaretz reported.
The advisors consulted by the Ministry of Health came to virtually unanimous conclusion that “the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh its risks,” it said. Only two of the 75 experts therefore voted against the release of the preparation for children aged five and over. The panel also recommended by a large majority that children who have already suffered a corona infection should also be vaccinated.
According to media reports, a good million five to eleven year olds could receive the vaccination in Israel. Haaretz According to this, almost one in eight of the country’s relatively young population falls into this age group, which is why many experts consider it impossible to achieve herd immunity without vaccinating these children. In a study published at the end of October by the Israeli health insurance company Meuchedet, 48 percent of the parents surveyed were convinced or assumed that they would have their children vaccinated.
The group of up to nine years of age has already had the highest proportion of registered new infections in the country for months – followed by ten to 19 year olds. According to the ministry, both groups together make up around 30 percent of those infected. However, the number of new corona infections in Israel has been falling for two months. Now there are fewer than 500 per day; in September it was more than 11,000 on individual days. (15.11.2021)
Lockdown for unvaccinated people in Austria
After the lockdown for unvaccinated people, the Austrian federal government is also thinking of night exit restrictions for all citizens. This proposal is on the table and will be decided next Wednesday, said Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) on Sunday evening in the ORF news program “ZiB2”.
“We’re all in the same boat,” said Mückstein. If a general lockdown is to be prevented, a reduction in contact between people is imperative, the minister added. The restrictions would apply from 10 p.m. and would also mean that night restaurants would be closed again.
Mückstein emphasized again that the extent of the fourth corona wave was mainly due to the unvaccinated. From this Monday on, this group will be partially locked down. Until November 24th they are only allowed to leave their home for compelling reasons such as going to work, for daily shopping or for recreation. Adherence to the regulation should be checked with random samples. The aim is to increase the willingness to vaccinate and to significantly reduce social contacts. The seven-day incidence per 100,000 inhabitants in Austria has now risen to around 815.
Germany has declared Austria a high-risk corona area again. This means that travelers and commuters have had to comply with stricter rules since Sunday. Anyone who has not been vaccinated or has recovered must be in quarantine for at least five days when they return to Germany. (15.11.2021)
Intensive care and emergency physicians are demanding corona premium for nursing staff
The President of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (Divi), Gernot Marx, has called for a “strong corona premium” for nurses in the intensive care sector in order to make the burden of the fourth corona wave bearable for them. “A kind of corona premium is needed for the fourth wave, and a strong one that the intensive care workers really benefit from,” said Marx New Osnabrück Newspaper.
“We would like the gross wage to be paid net for the months with high loads. Night and weekend work should also be tax-free,” suggested Marx. “That would immediately resonate with people and show them that their work is appreciated and rewarded.” This does not change anything in the structures – work urgently needs to be done on that. But such a bonus would give a boost in motivation.
“Right now, a really acute and strong signal of appreciation is needed,” because thousands of nurses were missing even before the Corona, and after 22 months of the pandemic, people were simply exhausted. Many employees in the intensive care sector simply could not do more, some would have surrendered in the meantime and given up completely, many more would have shortened their working hours. The bottom line is that 4,000 intensive care beds are less usable, said Marx.
The Verdi union warned of an impending exodus in nursing in view of the high levels of stress in the intensive care units. “Many employees in the care sector have turned their backs on their jobs en masse, even though they love it,” said Verdi board member Sylvia Bühler Picture on sunday. The fourth corona wave “brought the barrel to overflow” in view of the years of high pollution. (11/14/2021)
Scientists emphasize great benefits from booster vaccinations
In the fight against the corona pandemic, researchers have emphasized the importance of booster vaccinations. “The booster vaccinations catapult vaccination protection significantly upwards again,” explained Hajo Zeeb from the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology in Bremen. According to the data available, protection against a severe course is even more effective than shortly after the second vaccination. “And the protection against infection and transmission of an infection is very pronounced and significantly better than with vaccinated people without the booster.”
Viola Priesemann from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization in Göttingen referred to Israel. There it was possible in the summer to stop the wave with a vaccination rate similar to that in Germany, as around 50 percent of people received a booster vaccination. “The effect might not be as strong in Germany because the first vaccination interval was longer and the vaccinations weren’t quite as long ago as in Israel,” she explained. “But we also expect a clear effect here.” (14.11.2021)
Greens boss Habeck calls for 3 Gs in trains and more home offices
Because of the acute corona situation, politicians are now calling for the 3-G rule to be applied in train traffic. Travelers would then have to be vaccinated, recovered or tested. “Yes, traveling by train must also be safer. From my point of view, 3G should apply here, we will have to talk about that,” said Greens boss Robert Habeck to the newspapers of the Funke media group. The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach is also in favor. “3G should also apply in trains. In this corona situation, it is irresponsible that unvaccinated and untested people sit close to other passengers for hours in long-distance traffic,” said Lauterbach Picture on sunday.
Habeck also considers restrictions on freedom for unvaccinated people to be possible. “Contact restrictions are painful cuts, we all know that too well. But given the dramatic situation, they may be necessary regionally for unvaccinated people. The same should be included in the Infection Protection Act.” 3G measures at the workplace and increased use of the home office are also urgently required.
The traffic light parties SPD, Greens and FDP want to oblige employers again to send employees in the case of office work or comparable activities to the home office, if there are no compelling operational reasons against it. That reports that Handelsblatt. The 3-G rule should therefore apply to employees who cannot work from home. (14.11.2021)